Tractor loaders



March 1965 "r. a. GRANRYD ETAL 3,171,555

TRACTOR LOADERS Filed Sept. 13. 1962 2 sheets-sheet 1 CO/VF/GU/PAHOA/arr-E55 Ft OW/NG Mame/AL AFTIA [7841 41/16 I may Mam}! 2, 1965 T. e.GRANRYD ETAL 3,171,555

TRACTOR LOADERS Filed Sept. 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent 3,171,555 TRACTOR LOADERS Thorvald G. Gram-yd, Lihertyville, andHerbert A. Mark, Northbrook, Ill., assignors to The Frank G. Hough (30.,a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 223,506 2Claims. (Cl. 214-140) This invention relates generally to tractorloaders, and more particularly to an improved bucket construction for afront-end type tractor loader, which bucket construction is uniquelyconstructed for the handling of free-flowing granulated material.Further, the improved bucket construction is a modification and acontinuation in part of the improved bucket construction invention toThorvald G. Granryd and Herbert A. Mark filed June 13, 1960 and havingSerial No. 35,766, now issued Patent 3,065,870.

In the handling of free-flowing granulated material with a front-endtype tractor loader such as is known in the art, a serious problem isencountered in spillage of the granulated material from the bucket. Thisspillage occurs in a number of ways, firstly, because of the relativeease with which the bucket may be heaped with the material from a pile,withdrawal of the tractor and bucket from the pile results in immediatespillage in the vicinity of the pile as the initial, somewhatcone-shaped, heaped load on the bucket is reduced by spillage as thebucket and machine are withdrawn from the pile. Further, in the carryingposition of the bucket, the bucket is usually tipped rearwardly throughan angle of approximately 40 and in this position the forward edge ofthe cutting edge is considerably vertically below the upper edges of theside walls and the rear or back wall of the bucket so that in thetransport of the load to a remote location, additional spillage occursuntil under some conditions only about one-half of the materialoriginally dug is retained within the confines of the bucket.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a bucketarrangement for a tractor loader such as disclosed in US. Patent No.2,986,292 issued May 30, 1961 to Keith W. Kampert et al., which willgreatly aid in digging and carrying free-flowing granulated type ofmaterial with a minimum of spillage.

It is a feature of the present invention that a loadstriker andmaintainer construction is produced for a tractor loader bucket which inoperation will first strikeoif a heaped free-flowing load in the bucket,which load in being shaken during the traveling of the machine willlevel out to a substantially full bucket with substantially no spillage.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide at least a rotaryactuator connected to the load striker and maintainer construction whichwill pivotally move the load striker construction across the open sideof the bucket to first strike-off a heaped freedlowing load in thebucket and then to permit the load striker construction to retain aportion of the remaining free-flowing load during traveling withsubstantially no spillage.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparentupon a perusal of the following specification and drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a tractor loader constructedaccording to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view such as FIGURE 1 with a bucket operated to thebreak-out position;

FIGURE 3 is a view such as FIGURE 1 with a bucket operated to a loadcarrying position;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged elevational view partially 3,I'Zl,555 PatentedMar. 2, 1965 'ice cross-sectional of one of the tions of the strike-0ftmember;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic circuit for operationof the strike-off member; and

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view on a smaller scale along section line7-7 of FIGURE 5 illustrating the internal construction of the rotaryactuator.

The present embodiment is the preferred embodiment, but it is to beunderstood that changes can be made in the present embodiment by oneskilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

For a general description of the present invention, reference is made tothe drawings and the aforementioned patent. The bucket is constructed tohave a pair of side walls spaced apart by a curved bottom and a rearwall. The forward marginal edge of the bottom wall is provided with acutting edge. The bucket is pivotally mounted on a boom and a linkagearrangement is provided for pivoting the bucket relative to the boom.Means are also provided for raising and lowering the boom. In thedigging position, the bucket is lowered to ground level, and the linkagemeans is operated to position the bottom wall of the bucket, in asubstantially horizontal plane such as shown in FIGURE 1. As may be seentherein, the forward marginal edges of the side walls are curved as aportion of a circle with its original point slightly spaced from thepivotal axis of the bucket on the boom. The rear wall of the bucket isdisclosed to be inclined substantially forwardly and upwardly. Asomewhat U-shaped load striker and retainer or maintainer blade orelement is pivotally mounted, at the ends of the legs thereof, on anaxis parallel to the same axis that the bucket is pivotally mounted onthe boom. The cross member of the U-shaped blade or striker element willbe pivoting from the position shown in FIGURES l or 2 to that shown inFIGURE 3 to strike-off the heaped load along a curved plane such asshown in FIGURE 3. The cross-member which itself is somewhat U orV-shaped in cross section, has one portion which acts as the strikerblade, and a striker blade with the other walls thereof further actingas load maintaining walls when the machine is operated in traveling to aremote location for dumping. During travel the free-flowing materialwill flow approximately fro-m the striked configuration to the straightline configuration shown in dotted lines in FIG- URE 3. The strikerelement is operated by a pair of rotary hydraulic motors which aresecured to transversely spaced apart mounting brackets fixedly attachedto the bottom wall of the bucket such that the rotary axis of the motorcorresponds to the pivotal axis of the striker element and to the centerof the curvature of the marginal side edges of the bucket side walls.Thus, the axis of the rotary motors is parallel to the pivotal axis ofthe bucket on the boom. It should now be readily apparent that dependingupon the curvature of the marginal side edges of the bucket side walls,the parallel secured rotary motors could be further spaced from or evencoaxial to the pivotal axis of the bucket on the boom. Through theselective operation of a hydraulic circuit connected to the rotarymotors, when rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the U-shapedelement is eventually positioned such as shown in FIGURES 1 or 2. Whenthe rotary motors are completely rotated in a clockwise direction by thehydraulic circuit, the striker element assumes the position as shown inFIGURE 3. The cross-member of the striker eiement must have a sizecorrelated to the dimensions of the bucket walls; so that the volume ofthe material in the striked configuration approximately equals thevolume defined by the bucket, the striker element, and a horizontalplane through the upper surface of the cross member of the pivotalmounting connec- 3. striker element when the bucket has been tiltedrearwardly to the break-out or carrying position such as shown in FIGURE3.

For a detailed description of the present invention, continued referenceis made to the drawings and thev noted patent. A four-wheel, rubbertiredtractor having Wheels 11 and an operators compartment 12 isprovided with a boom arm 13 one end of which is carried on the tractorat the pivotal connection 14. and the other end of which is disposedforwardlythereof. It is to be understood that there are a pair ofduplicate boom arms 13 only one being shown inv the drawings, FIGURE 1.Some means such as the rams 15 pivotally connected at one end 16 to thetractor 10 and at the other end 17 substantially intermediate the endsof the boom 13 are provided for raising and lowering the forward end ofthe boom 13. The linkage arrangement is operatively carried at one end 23 onthe tractor 10 the other end thereof is positioned forwardly of thetractor 10. The linkage arrangement comprises, a double acting bucketcylinder 22 connected to the tractor end 23 and extending rod 22Aconnected to a fork member 24 pivotally connected intermediate its endsto the pivotal connection 25 on the boom arms 13. One end 26 of the forkmember 24 is connected to the extending rod 22A and the other end 27 ofthe fork member is pivotally connected to a forward extending link 28.

A bucket 18 comprises a pair of spaced apart side walls 31 and a curvedplate which defiines a bottom wall 33 and a rear wall 34 of the bucket18.. The forward marginal edge of the plate bottom wall 33 is providedwith a cutting edge 35. Two pairs of flanges 20 are secured to the rearside of the bucket 18 in a spaced apart relationship transversely ofeach other for mounting of the bucket 18 on the forward end of the boom13 and for connecting of the bucket 18 to the links 28. Pins 21 aremounted through the pairs of flanges 2t) and the forward end of the boom13 to pivotally carry and connect the bucket 18 on the forward endthereof. The for ward marginal edges 32 of the side walls 31 are curved,and that curvature is traced by a portion of a circle having its centerat the axis of the rotary actuating motors and the pivotal connection ofthe strike-off member to.

be subsequently described which is parallel to the longitudinal pivotalaxis of the pins 21. The links 28 are pivotally connected at theirforward ends through the pins to the flanges 26. .Pins 30 are disposedsubstantially vertically above pins 21 when the bucket is in the groundlevel digging position such as shown in FIGURE 1. With the abovedescribed arrangement, the links 23 may be moved to pivot the bucket 18rearwardly toward the tractor 10 about the axis of pins 21 through anangle of approximately at which position the bucket cylinder 22 willprevent any further rearward tilting of the bucket 18. The angle betweenthe bottom wall 33 and the rear wall 34 of the bucket is approximately40 so that when the bucket 18 is tilted from the ground level diggingposition such as shown in FIGURE 1 to the breakout or carrying positionshown in FIGURE 2, the rear wall 34 of the bucket 18 is substantiallyvertically positioned, the open side of the bucket 18 is disposedupwardly, and the marginal edge of the cutting edge 35 is disposed belowthe uppermarginal edge of the rear wall 34. In digging a free-flowinggranulated material such as shown at 19in FIGURE 1, the bucket 18 is po-6 sitioned such as shown in FIGURE 1, and the tractor 10 is then movedforwardly causing the cutting edge 35 and the side walls. 31.of thebucket 18 to be forced into the material 19. As the bucket 18. is forcedinto the material, the links 28 are operated to pivot the bucket 18rearwardly toward the position shown in FIGURE 2. This scooping actionof the bucket 18 as it is moved forwardly and tilted rearwardly resultsin a substantially heaped bucket such as shown in FIGURE 2.

The load striking and maintaining element generally indicated by thenumber 39 comprises a pair of lever arms 40 and a cross member 36. Thecross member 36 includes a striker blade 36a, a forward retaining Wall3612, and an upper retaining wall 360, and side retaining wall members36d. The members 36a, 36b, and 360 may be formed as a single plate whichis somewhat U or V- shaped as shown in the drawing with the side members36d. secured one at each end. of the members 35a, 36b, and 360 by somemeans such as welding The levers 46 are secured one at each end of thecross member side members 36d by any means such as welding, and thelevers 40 are spaced apart a distance slightly more than the width ofthe bucket 18. The levers 40 are formed at their lower ends thereof witha pair of transverse spaced apart openings 43 one being indicated andshown in FIGURE 5. The pair of, spaced apart openings 43 on the lowerend of each lever 40 pro vide securement and attachment of each lever 40to one end of a rotary actuating motor 42 mounted on the bottomwall 33of the bucket 18 by means. of a mounting bracket prising a boltfastener. 44 and washer 45. An enlarged portion 49 of the rotary shaftat one end in the motor 42 provides the threaded opening 49a and counterbored opening 4% corresponding to the circular transverse opening 43 inthe lever 40. washer 45 corresponds to the diameter of the openings 43and 49b to provide a sliding fit.

formed between the threaded and head portion of the bolt 44, along withthe engagement of the threaded.

opening 49a and the threaded portion of the bolt 44,

cooperate to firmly secure the lever 40 to the enlarged.

shaft portion 49 at one end of the rotary shaft in the motor 42.Although only one fastener assembly 39 is shown in cross-sectionaldetail in FIGURE 5 in connection to the enlarged portion 49 it is to beunderstood that the other fastener assembly 39 in FIGURE 5 correspondsin detail, and that the two fastener assemblies 39 for each lever 40 toeach motor 42 are identical. It should be further noted that at least 2fastener assemblies 39 are necessary, otherwise the lever 40 wouldpivotally move relative to the enlarged portion 49. A

hydraulic circuit as shown in FIGURE 6 is provided for operating the tworotary actuating motors 42 and comprises a reservoir 47, a pump 48, acontrol valve 50, and a loader mechanism control valve 57 interconnectedby conduits 51, 52, 53, and 54. Two other conduits 55 and 56 extendingfrom the control valve 50 are connected at opposite ends of theirbranches to each of the rotary actuating motors 42. The control valve 50includes a valve spool 59A whereupon selective operation by the operatordirects pressure fluid from the pump 48 to one or the other motorconduits 55 or 56 or in a neutral position directs pressure fluid onlyto conduit 53 connected to the loader control valve 57. It is to beunderstood that the loader control valve 57 provides two valve spools57a and 57b for selective operation by the operator for control of thehydraulic ram 15 and bucket cylinder 22. The pressure fluid from thecontrol valve 57 is returned to the reservoir 47 through return conduit54. It is to be further understood that the preferred type of controlvalve construction is of the open-center type such that in the neutralposition of the control valves 50 and 57' pressure fluid is freelycirculated from the suction conduit 51 through conduits 52, 53, and 54t0 he reservoir 47.

The outer diameter of the A shoulder 45a formed on the washer 45 and ashoulder 44a A suitable form of construction internally of the rotaryactuating motors 42 is shown by the cross sectional View in FIGURE 7.Specifically, the rotary actuating motor 42 comprises a circular housingor casing member 58 having at opposite portions radial inwardlyextending converging walls 60 arcuately shaped at their endscorresponding to a surface of the rotary driving shaft 61. A pair ofradial vane members 63 extend outwardly from the shaft 61 to be moved inopposite directions by the action of the pressure fluid in the fourformed fluid chambers between the vane members 63 and the convergingwall member 60. Further the vane members 63 secured to the shaft 61extend to bearingly engage the inner surface of the casing member 58,while a slight clearance exists between the surface of the shaft 61 andthe arcuate ends of the wall members 69. As shown in FIGURE 7, one ofthe motor pressure conduits 55 is connected to a pair of fluid chambersthrough the fluid openings 55]; in the converging wall members 60.Similarly the other motor pressure conduit as is connected to the otherpair of fluid chambers through a pair of fluid openings 56]) in thefluid chambers. Thus, as pressure fluid is directed by the operator toone of the conduits 55, the vane members 63 are rotated in a clock-wisedirection. Conversely, if the pressure fluid is directed to the otherpressure conduit 56, vane members 63 are moved in a counterclockwisedirection. Although not shown in the drawings, shaft 61 extendsforwardly to connect with the enlarged portion 49 thereof at one endproviding the connection of the lower end of the levers 40 through thetwo fastener assemblies 39.

Levers 46 carry the cross-member 36 immediately inwardly of the arcuateand horizontal planes including side walls 31. The striker portion 36aextends inwardly of the forward marginal edges 32 of the side walls 31and the forward marginal edge of the cutting edge 35 an amountsufficient to strike the heaped load from the position shown in FIGURE 2to that shown in FIGURE 3, with the surface of the material then beingcurved parallely to the curve of the side walls and slightly inwardlythereof. The members 36a, 36b, 36c, and 36d must define a volume suchthat when the element 36 and the bucket 13 are positioned such as shownin FIGURE 3, a load of freely flowing material may be moved or shakenfrom the striked configuration indicated by the arcuate plane referenceline to a substantially flat horizontal surface such as shown in FIGURE3 by the horizontal plane reference line without the loss of any of theload resulting from the striked configuration. The relative volumetricrelationships as shown in the drawings are not intended to accuratelyshow the foregoing described volumes.

It should be noted that when the element 36 is in the position as shownin FIGURE 3, the lower marginal edge of the striker portion 36A engagesthe cutting edge 35 to prevent any material from following therebetween.

In the operation of the hydraulic circuit 46 of the present invention,the rotary actuating motors 42 are first rotated in a direction to movethe member 36 to a counter-clockwise position such as shown in FIGURE 1,which operation thereof will bring the member 36 to a position adjacentthe upper marginal edge of the rear wall 34 of the bucket 18. With thebucket 13 then positioned in a level digging position at ground level,the tractor 10 is moved forwardly to force the cutting edge 35 and sidewalls 31 of the bucket into the material 19. The bucket is then pivotedrearwardly by an appropriate operation of the links 28 in a loadscooping action to the position shown in FIGURE 2. While the bucket 18is still over or within material being dug, the rotary actuating motors42; are then operated to move the member 36 in a clockwise direction tothe position shown in FIGURE 3. The causes a forward movement of themember 36 with the striker portion 360 striking off the portion of theheaped material extending above the marginal edges of the bucket 18 withthe excess material thereby being returned to the pile of material 19.With the bucket in the position shown in FIGURE 3, the trac tor 10 isthen moved rearwardly to withdraw the bucket 18 from the pile, and thetractor is then operated to carry the loaded bucket to a remote locationfor dumping. As the tractor moves, the load of free-flowing material isjostled or shaken, and the free-flowing material will level out from thestriked configuration to the level configuration shown in FIGURE 3, thehorizontal plane refer ence line, without the loss of any of the loadduring traveling. When the load is to be dumped, the rotary actuatingmotors 42 are again operated in the opposite direction to pivotally movethe levers 46 in a counterclockwise direction, and the boom 13 is raisedpreparatory to dumping into some bin or other container. The links 28are then operated by the bucket cylinder 22 to pivot the bucket 18downwardly to a dumping position wherein gravity will remove the loadfrom the bucket. The digging, carrying, and dumping cycle may then berepeated.

Although a rotary actuating motor 42 rotatable in opposite directionshas been shown, it is contemplated that other types of motors may beused to rotate levers 40 about the axis of the shaft 61 and its enlargedportion 49.

Having described the invention, what is desired to be protected andclaimed by Letters of Patent:

1. A tractor loader comprising a boom operatively carried on saidtractor and extending forwardly thereof, a bucket comprising a pair ofspaced-apart side Walls interconnected by a bottom and rear wall, acutting edge carried on the forward marginal edge of said bottom wall,means formed on the rear wall of said bucket for pivotally carrying andconnecting said bucket on the forward end of the boom so that saidbucket is movable from a horizontal digging position to a certainmaximum load carrying position wherein the open side of the bucket isdisposed substantially upwardly, a load striking and maintaining membercomprising at least one lever, 21 cross-member connected to said leverand extending across the upper portion of said bucket, said crossmemberhaving a length substantially equal to the distance between said sideWalls of said bucket, a rotary fluid actuator means secured to said rearwall parallel to said bucket pivotal connection to said boom forwardend, means for pivotally connecting said lever to said rotary fluidactuator means for pivotal clockwise and counterclockwise movement ofsaid lever to carry said cross-member over the open side of said bucketbetween the upper marginal edge of said rear wall and said cutting edge,the forward marginal edges of said side walls being formed to have acurvature substantially equal to that of a portion of a circle tracedtherethrough and having its center at the pivotal axis of said levercorresponding to the rotary axis of said actuator means, saidcross-member having a shape such that the lower edge thereof strikes offthe upper surface of a heaped load in said bucket immediately below thecurved marginal edges of said side walls when said lever is pivoted andfurther having a shape which in cooperation with the walls of saidbucket and said cutting edge retains substantially the remaining load ofa free-flowing material within said bucket when said bucket is carriedand shaken in said certain maximum load carrying position.

2. A tractor loader comprising a boom operatively carried on saidtractor and extending forwardly thereof, a bucket comprising a pair ofspaced-apart side walls interconnected by a bottom and rear wall, acutting edge carried on the forward marginal edge of said bottom wall,means formed on the rear wall of said bucket for pivotally carrying andconnecting said bucket on the forward end of the boom '50 that saidbucket is movable from a horizontal digging position to a certainmaximum load carrying position wherein the open side of the bucket isdisposed substantially upwardly, a load striking and maintaining membercomprising a pair of levers interconnected by a cross-member, saidcross-member having a length substantially equal to the distance betweensaid side walls of said bucket, a pair of rotary fluid actuator means,each of said rotary fluid actuator means secured to said rear wallparallel to said bucket pivotal connection to said boom forward end,means for pivotally connecting each of said levers to one of said rotaryfluid actuator means for pivotal movement of said levers to carry saidcross-member over the open side of said bucket, said actuator meansbeing selectively operable to simultaneously and pivotally move saidlevers in clockwise and counter-clockwise direction, the forwardmarginal edges of said side walls being formed to have a curvaturesubstantially equal to that of a portion of a circle traced therethroughand having its center at the pivotal axis of said levers correspondingto the rotary axis of said actuation means, said cross-member beingU-shaped having one portion thereof extending below the marginal edgesof said side walls so that said one portion strikes off the uppersurface of a heaped load in said bucket immediately below the curvedmarginal edges of said side walls when said levers are pivoted, theremaining portions of said U-shaped cross-member being such that whensaid one'portion engages said cutting edge of :said bucket the volume ofsaid bucket is increased to retain substantially the remaining load of afree-flowing material within said bucket and said cross-member when saidbucket is carried and shaken in said certain maximum load carryingposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,994,446 Van Anwelaer et al Aug. 1, 1961 3,009,590 Kampert Nov. 21,1961 3,065,870 Granryd et al Nov. 27, 1962

1., A TRACTOR LOADER COMPRISING A BOOM OPERATIVELY CARRIED ON SAIDTRACTOR AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREOF, A BUCKET COMPRISING A PAIR OFSPACED-APART SIDE WALLS INTERCONNECTED BY A BOTTOM AND REAR WALL, ACUTTING EDGE CARRIED ON THE FORWARD MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL,MEANS FORMED ON THE REAR WALL OF SAID BUCKET FOR PIVOTALLY CARRYING ANDCONNECTING SAID BUCKET ON THE FORWARD END OF THE BOOM SO THAT SAIDBUCKET IS MOVABLE FROM A HORIZONTAL DIGGING POSITION TO A CERTAINMAXIMUM LOAD CARRYING POSITION WHEREIN THE OPEN SIDE OF THE BUCKET ISDISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY UPWARDLY, A LOAD STRIKING AND MAINTAINING MEMBERCOMPRISING AT LEAST ONE LEVER, A CROSS-MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID LEVERAND EXTENDING ACROSS THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID BUCKET, SAID CROSSMEMBERHAVING A LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID SIDEWALLS OF SAID BUCKET, A ROTARY FLUID ACTUATOR MEANS SUCURED TO SAID REARWALL PARALLEL TO SAID BUCKET PIVOTAL CONNECTION TO SAID BOOM FORWARDEND, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID LEVER TO SAID ROTARY FLUIDACTUATOR MEANS FOR PIVOTAL CLOCKWISE AND COUNTERCLOCKWISE MOVEMENT OFSAID LEVER TO CARRY SAID CROSS-MEMBER OVER THE OPEN SIDE OF SAID BUCKETBETWEEN THE UPPER MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID REAR WALL AND SAID CUT-